So this past week's training was a bit more interesting but definitely more draining! It is really interesting to see the the variety of people in the training and how we all react differently to the situations/content presented. For those of us with kids it is totally different than for those without kids. It is even more so for us since our children are adopted. A video was shown that was mostly text but with the sweetest child's voice saying things that broke my heart. She spoke of going to visit her birthmother and upon returning to her foster family she wet the bed for days from her anxiety about that...pulling her hair out...not knowing who she would go with when (FDS, care manager, foster mom, birth mom, who?) There are a couple of us in there with small children and we were all teary when the video was over. It is so difficult to ever imagine that our children would be taken from us and that is what they would go through. Who wants to think of their child being alone, scared, and hopeless? At the same time, it is important that we "feel" so that we understand what the birthparents are going through. We also went through an exercise that made it very real to all of us that particular stressors in our lives could land us in that position. Not every situation is full of abuse or neglect. Sometimes people lose their job, can't pay the bills or put food on the table and "accidently" take that anger out on whoever is closest..a child? :(
This MAPP training is definitely eye-opening and yet very difficult! I am so grateful that our county requires this 30+ process to prepare us for foster parenting. Many counties across the country require no such training and the foster parents are "thrown in" with very little preparation as to how to deal with such issues. It's hard but WORTH IT! Seeing that video really made it real and makes me want to provide a safe, loving and protective environment for children even more!
Sharing the life experience of becoming foster parents to the least of these!
4 comments:
Mrs. M,
I am excited to see that you have a new blog. I noticed on K's blog that you had a different picture and that caused me to look to see what you are up too. My husband and I have been foster parents for 3 years now and have had 2 children each spent a night, 4 children (teenagers) stay for 6 months, 2 children stay 17 months, and 3 we have adopted. I have dealt with many bio parents and many different situations that the kids come from. Feel free to contact me if you ever have any questions. It is always helpful to have someone who has been through it to talk too.
God Bless you in your adventure--I can't wait to hear more about it.
Mandy (Baar)
Thank you Mandy! I'm sure that I will be asking you many questions when we get a bit deeper in this whole thing! What are the ages of your children whom you have adopted? How fun to reconnect through God's work :)
The children we have adopted are 11, 9, and 5. The 9 and 5 year old are special needs children. The children we have fostered and sent home were 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 14, 16, and 17 when they arrived. It is awesome to reconnect with people through God's work. I look forward to your questions as foster care has become quite a passion of mine.
Awesome! Can you give me your email addy so I can contact you when I have all those questions??!! :) Thanks!
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